Watch Them Grow

Deer Management

Maximum Sustained Yield (MSY) Management

The primary objective of this strategy is maximizing the size of the deer herd such that the maximum number of deer, including bucks, is produced for harvest. Fawn production is most important factor with this strategy. To accomplish this, the deer herd is maintained between ½ and ¾ of the habitat's carry capacity, which is the segment of the population's growth curve that generates the most fawns. Allowing the population to grow close to carrying capacity will reduce food resources, and subsequently, reproduction. Most bucks are harvested, or are eligible for harvest, at a young age (typically 1.5 to 2.5 years old). Buck age structure and quality is not emphasized with this strategy; instead, numbers of bucks are emphasized. Although habitat quality is certainly important, it is typically not managed.